*This blog post was originally published on the Fox Hollow Farm Substack page on 10/4/23.
I greatly admire the plants who are at their best later in the season. After the explosion of colors throughout the spring and early summer, I’m thankful for the flora that give us just a bit more color into early fall. At this time of year, you may begin to notice tall weeds with bright yellow flowers growing on roadsides and in fields. Those tall, plentiful beauties aren’t just weeds, though. They’re a bodacious, herbaceous, perennial herb in the Asteraceae family called goldenrod. Besides on the edges of roads, you can also find goldenrod in meadows, prairies, and woodlands. It thrives in dry, sandy soil, and blooms from July through September (and sometimes later, depending on your climate– ours only began to bloom at the end of September this year).
People often think goldenrod is the primary cause of seasonal fall allergies, but this is not true! This falsehood exists because goldenrod grows in the same conditions as (and blooms at the same time as) ragweed– a notorious allergen for many. In most cases of autumnal allergy attacks, ragweed is the culprit– not goldenrod. Goldenrod truly holds no allergens. Actually, it has medicinal properties and has been used in folk medicine in many cultures for centuries. Its genus name is Solidago, derived from the Latin solidum agere which means “to make whole.” That says something about its character, right?
Identification
Goldenrod leaves & stem
Young goldenrod shoot - Photo source here.
Identifying goldenrod is quite easy while it is in bloom. You may notice it towering over many of the other plants in a prairie or meadow, growing anywhere from three to five feet tall. Its flowers are bright yellow, and the flower heads grow in an elongated cluster that curves slightly and reaches outward, forming a golden rod.
Its leaves are simple (each individual leaf is attached to the stem by its petiole) and alternate (on alternating sides of the stem), slightly toothed, hairy, and have a scent similar to licorice if you rub or crush them with your fingers. Its nectar attracts a vast array of pollinators like bees, butterflies (Monarchs love it), wasps, and some beetles– not to mention the very tiny, very camouflaged Goldenrod Crab Spider. Birds will enjoy eating the seeds after the blooms are spent.
Teeny tiny Goldenrod Crab Spider - Link to photograph by Ken Brate here.
A quick-reference guide for identifying Goldenrod
Important note: Make sure to only forage from spots where you are certain no pesticides or other chemicals are sprayed. Plants growing under powerlines or near sidewalks are often routinely sprayed with these things which can be harmful to your health. Also, forage responsibly by only taking what you need and never taking all.
Native or Invasive?
I don’t know where this assumption came from, but I had always been under the impression that goldenrod was an invasive plant that would take over if left unbothered. Though this sturdy and adaptable creature spreads prolifically through rhizomes underground and through its seeds, it should not be considered an invasive plant in the US. It is native to most of the US, aside from Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. It does not require much from the soil, preferring dry, sandy ground and so therefore does not compete with other native plants or your garden. Its late-season blooms attract very beneficial pollinators, which can be especially useful if it is growing near your vegetable garden. A couple more great benefits of keeping goldenrod is its ability to tolerate drought and repel deer. As our climate changes, it’s important to identify edible plants that are both drought tolerant and nutritious. Though it may not hold a lot of calories, it is high in vitamins and minerals and has been used in food and medicine for centuries.
Goldenrod tincture - Photo source here.
Medicinal Uses
There are several anecdotal stories about the ways people from many cultures have used this plant as medicine. Ancient Germans allegedly gathered the plant before going to battle so that they had it on hand to lessen bleeding and aid in healing wounds. Indigenous people of many different tribes used it in medicine as well, utilizing the plant to help heal toothaches, relieve sore throats, and more. It was/is believed by the English that goldenrod points toward treasures, and that it brings good luck. After the Boston tea party, a tea blend that included goldenrod was enjoyed by the colonists in protest of taxation by the British. This was one of several blends they dubbed “Liberty Tea.”
Historically, it has been used to lessen symptoms associated with respiratory illness and urinary tract infections as well. Here’s a list of all the ailments which goldenrod is known to help with:
Seasonal allergies
Respiratory illness symptoms and asthma
General inflammation
Muscle spasms
Helps to lower blood pressure
Urinary tract infections and kidney stones (by reducing inflammation)
Toothaches (treat by chewing on the woody stem)
Helps to fight infections
Lessens bleeding and aids in healing wounds when used on skin
Sore throat remedy
*I am in no way a medical professional, so please take care before taking any herbs internally, making sure they are safe for you. It is not advised to consume Goldenrod if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you are taking diuretics or lithium. Please be responsible and take care of yourself.
Recipes
The flavor of goldenrod is mild and is akin to the flavor of anise. Common ways goldenrod is consumed are by adding the plant to an herbal tea (you can find a recipe here) or crafting a tincture (recipe here). I’ve found some other unique and interesting ways to enjoy goldenrod which I have included here:
Goldenrod Cordial: A late-summer treat with pear and spices you can add to cocktails
This gorgeous Goldenrod Cornbread, full of delicious nuts and seeds
Goldenrod Shoots with Sunflower Vinaigrette to enjoy as a side dish (Just make sure you harvest the plant when it’s young and make sure you don’t have a look-alike)
Cultivating Goldenrod
It is relatively easy to forage goldenrod and it is even easier to cultivate. If you decide to grow it from seed, it is best to sow them outdoors during spring. You can also sow in the fall; the seeds just won’t germinate until temperatures warm up. The seeds need sunlight to germinate and typically take about two weeks to do so.
The first time I noticed goldenrod growing at Fox Hollow was only a few weeks ago in mid-September. It’s one of many wildflowers we have found growing since letting the fields grow wild. I’ve mentioned in an earlier post that the folks who lived here previously kept horses and were pretty adamant about keeping things mowed (even going so far as to put diesel along some of the fence lines to eradicate unwanted plants (I know. Devastating…). Because of this we’ve been working hard to help the soil get healthy again. We do this by allowing the field to grow tall so that native and medicinal plants have the chance to grow and go to seed. We scythe and mow paths to walk through to get to the edible plants like wild passionflower, blackberries, and goldenrod. The results so far have been astoundingly increased biodiversity of plant and animal life, and the discovery of a good deal of native species we didn’t have when we first arrived.
Have you harvested goldenrod this year or in previous years? What are some of your favorite ways to use it? If you try any of the recipes shared here, I’d love to see them! You can share in the comments, on our Facebook page or on Instagram @foxhollowfarmco.
Happy foraging,
Allyson
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